Preeclampsia is a disease that only occurs during pregnancy. Preeclampsia, pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), and toxemia are essentially interchangeable terms used by your care provider for this disease. This disease is characterized by swelling, high blood pressure, and the presence of protein in the urine. Preeclampsia occurs in 5 to 10 percent of all pregnancies. It can appear suddenly, without warning, any time throughout your pregnancy, labor, or in the early postpartum period. This disease can also be chronic, gradually becoming worse over a period of time. It may be mild or severe. But, no matter how ill you become with this disease, whether it's sudden or gradual, the only cure is delivery of the baby. There are medications and treatments to keep you from becoming more ill with the disease, but no medications will make the disease go away entirely.

Your care provider will begin to look for signs of preeclampsia during your second trimester and continue through your postpartum period. Sometimes, early treatment can prolong a pregnancy and lessen complications for both mother and baby.

If you are diagnosed with preeclampsia before your baby's due date, your care provider will occasionally want to prolong your pregnancy. If you are close to your due date, your care provider will most likely prepare you and the baby for delivery.

After delivery, the disease eventually goes away, and it is unlikely that you will suffer any long-term effects of the disease. Occasionally, there are complications that will require medical attention for a time after you deliver. This may include taking blood pressure medication and frequent follow-up visits with your care provider.

Could It Happen to Me?

Women who are at the greatest risk are those who are pregnant with their first baby. Women who are having another baby but with a new partner are also at a significant risk. If you have had preeclampsia during another pregnancy or if you have a family history of preeclampsia (for example, if your mother or sister had preeclampsia with a pregnancy), your risk also increases. African-American women and women who are financially challenged, underprivileged, under twenty, or over thirty-five are also at increased risk. Medical conditions such as lupus, diabetes, or high blood pressure (chronic hypertension) put you at risk for developing preeclampsia. If you are pregnant with more than one baby, such as twins or triplets, the risk increases. If there is something wrong with either your baby or your placenta, such as the presence of a chromosomal abnormality or an abnormal maternal serum alpha feto protein (MSAFP), you also are at an increased risk for preeclampsia.

What Could Happen to My Body and to My Baby?

Preeclampsia causes swelling (edema), high blood pressure (hypertension), and the spilling of protein in your urine (proteinuria). Death is a very rare occurrence. Obvious complications of preeclampsia are: swelling, high blood pressure, poor kidney function, poor liver function, pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), and possible seizure. A poor blood supply to the baby will decrease the baby's nutrients to grow and be healthy.